Customer Reviews

Definitive Collection

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A lot of times these single disc collections try so hard to offer as much as possible the best of a certain artist. Too many times so much essential material is left off, and the same predictable fare is churned out, that it seemed effortless and pointless for the most part. That isn't necessarily the case with someone like John Lee Hooker, whose career spanned some 40-50 years on a variety of more than 20 some labels like Modern, Chess, Impulse, Vee-Jay, ABC-BluesWay and so many others. That's where it becomes very problematic and debatable as to what counts and what doesn't. Every label in every tiny aspect of his career couldn't be represented, of course, so balance becomes an issue, too. Another thing is that a handful of these approach or are over 5 minutes in length. It may sound like this is very picky, but for a single CD, this is a rather noteworthy representation. Early classics like "Boogie Chillen" and "I'm in the Mood" are represented as well as timeless upbeat tunes like "Boom Boom" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" which is blues at its very best. The latter part fo his career is represented with his collaborations with Canned Heat in 1970, and Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt in 1988. Other than those mentoned, "Dimples", "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", and "Think Twice Before You Go" are also definitely worth checking out as well as the three final tracks featuring the collaborations. "The Healer" is the most different of the three, and has a slicked, synthesized Latin-tinged groove. Overall, a fair enough representation is made proving how John Lee Hooker was successful with each generation he played for and encountered during his mammoth career, and is still appreciated with many new fans and bands today.

This is not everything you could ever want from John Lee Hooker, but if you are just looking for a single-disc compilation to get you going, you could do a lot worse than "The Definitive Collection".
There are dozens of mediocre Hooker-compilations out there, many of which only cover his output for one particular label, but here you get almost all of the Hook's best and best-known songs, from his sparse 40s recording of "Boom Boom" to his modern-day collaborations with Santana and Bonnie Raitt. And Hip-O is a professional, credible label, too; the sound is excellent, and the liner notes are insightful and informative.

I wouldn't have chosen the stylistically challenged "The Healer" to represent the album of the same name, and a single CD can't quite hold all of John Lee Hooker's best songs, but this is still one of the finest compilations of its kind currently on the market. The sound is terrific, the liner notes are fine, and songs like "Dimples", "Boom Boom", "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", "It Serves You Right To Suffer", and "Think Twice Before You Go" are all part of the fabric of the blues.

In time you'll want to hear John Lee Hooker's extraordinarily gritty live album from the Café au Go Go, and ALL of his magnificent 50s and 60s waxings for the Vee-Jay label - available on the Tomato albums "The Early Years" vol. I and II - but everybody's gotta start somewhere. And this collection is quite as good as the other five-star, single-disc Hooker-compilation out there, Rhino's "The Very Best of John Lee Hooker", and while the Rhino label's rather more pricey two-disc "Ultimate Collection (1948-1990)" and the excellent new "50 Years"-anthology come a bit closer to actually being definitive, this is still a very, very good place to start. Perhaps even the best.

There is a reason that artists like Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Canned Heat team up with John Lee. There is a reason he shows up in the movie "The Blues Brothers." It is because John Lee Hooker is delta blues to full tilt boogie. The man is a legend and just knocks your socks off if you are really into blues. When you see him in person, his attire also sets off the mood. John Lee you are up there with Muddy and The Wolf. Maybe the best endorsement for any John Lee Hooker compilation comes from none other than George Thoroughgood and The Delaware Destroyers. In one of George's versions of "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer," just before George gets the boot from his land lady for not paying his rent he says "I gathered up my John Lee Hooker collection..." Now that is PAYING HOMAGE TO ONE OF THE THREE GREATEST BLUES ARTISTS OF THE MODERN ERA...i.e. Chicago Style Blues.

John Lee Hooker is by far one of the greatest blues player ever. He was smooth, soulful, even a little dangerous but always kept playing the blues. The Definitive Collection is a great CD to start with. The only draw back is it has a song from the '80s inspired by that bad Caribbean influence that everyone seemed to cling too. But its only one track so you can skip ahead. Chances are you have heard John's music before - only you didn't know it was John's. He's been covered by a lot of artists and while the covers were good - best example is George Thoroughgood's "One Bourbon One Scotch One Beer" - the originals are still the best.

I assume you know of John Lee Hooker. The man, the legend and his music. So no need to go into detail of what should or should not constitute his best work. There must be 30 or 40 albums that have tried to accomplish that. But here, truly, is a definitive short-list, but broad spectrum of his work as can be put on one CD. From his early delta style blues to his raw and gritty Detroit Motor City and Chicago style blues, and finally to his later years reflecting influences from Canned Heat, Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Pete Townsend, Van Morrison and a host of artistic styles he would experiment with. Yet, he remained true to his blues roots. To say he influenced the British wave of young white blues artist of the mid to late 1960's is an understatement. His songs have been covered by Eric Clapton, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream, Spencer Davis Blues Explosion, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, George Thorogood, The J. Geils Band, Buddy Guy, The Doors, and a host of others. So here, we have his music condensed down to the more traditional blues, soulful blues, boogie woogie blues, and folk blues styles like "Boom, Boom", "Boogie Chillen" and "Dimples" along side more surprising later tunes like "The Waterfront", "The Healer", and "Motor City is Burning". This is as good a place to start if you are interested in learning about John Lee Hooker's repertoire.

If you were looking for the essential, the definitive, the musical picture of the man, this is it. He has a singular deep power in his voice, a fearless intense blues guitar style that is hypnotic elegant and surprising. And his songs will pick you up and shake you.

I just finished another review and this CD popped up as a product I recently purchased for me now to review.

I don't even have anything to say.

I took a look at the reviews below and can't add a single thing except just to express my heartfelt agreement with them and to recommend this CD to anybody that comes along. So read the reviews below and buy this amazing collection of legendary John Lee Hooker's music.

Yes, absolutely the best collection of hits John Lee Hooker on the market. Although there are also double its compilation, this is definitely the best.

yes this guy is truely a legend,how could you go wrong with john lee,he is a big player in the music scene,this album is good easy to listen to,something to be played over and over,highly recommended.

Oh you have to boogie on down with the master on this definitive collection of excellent JLH boogie tunes of glory. Mr Hooker is the MAN of the BLUES, and nobody can boogie as well as he can, and this album is a testimony to the truth!